2003 Saturn Ion Powertrain & Transmission Problems

MY KEY SWITCH DOESN'T ALLOW ME TO REMOVE MY KEY WHEN I'M IN PARKED AND MY TRANSMISSION STRANDS AT TIMES AND MY CAR DOESN'T START ALL THE TIME WHEN I TRY TO START IT I HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT AWHILE BEFORE IT STARTS AGAIN I COULD BE SITTING IN THE DRIVE THRU ON PARKED WAITING TO TRAVEL AGAIN ON TH HE MAIN ROADWAY

I WAS DRIVING AND MY TRANSMISSION I BOUGHT FROM GM ONLY 14 MONTHS AGO WENT OUT. IT WAS REMANUFACTURED AND THE PART COST ME 5,513.63 DOLLARS. I ONLY DROVE APPROXIMATELY 9,000 MILES AND THEY SAID IT WAS 12 MO. OR 1 YEAR SO THEY CAN'T HELP ME. I WOULD EXPECT A REMANUFACTURED TRANSMISSION TO LAST MORE THAN 9000 MILES AND ASKED IF I WAS THE FIRST TO HAVE FAILURE AT SO LOW MILEAGE AND HE REPLIED YES. I FEEL I'VE BEEN CHEATED AS A CONSUMER. GM PARTS TOLD ME THAT PART IS COVERED 3 YEARS OR 36,000 MILES HOWEVER CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID THAT'S WRONG. I WAS ONLY AT 14 MONTHS WHEN IT WENT OUT AND AT 9000 MILES IT IS SO UNFAIR BECAUSE IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE LIKE A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. ALL GM IS ABOUT IS MAKING MONEY AND NOT ABOUT THE SATISFACTION OF THEIR CUSTOMERS. CAR WAS IN MOTION WHEN IT WENT OUT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. WHILE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 215,000.

WHEN I AM DRIVING, MY CAR WILL SUDDENLY SEEM TO SLIP OUT OF GEAR, THE RPM'S WILL CONTINUE TO RISE WHILE THE CAR STARTS TO SLOW DOWN AND CAN NO LONGER ACCELERATE. I THEN HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART TO "RESET" THE CAR AND IT SEEMS TO DRIVE NORMAL AGAIN. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS AT HIGHER SPEEDS, LIKE WHILE I'M DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT CAN AND HAS HAPPENED AT LOWER SPEEDS AS WELL. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN AND AM EXPECTING ANOTHER CHILD IN JULY AND NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. I FEEL THAT THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL GIVEN THE LARGE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THE SAME OR SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN THESE CARS. THIS HAPPENED EARLIER TODAY, BUT HAS HAPPENED ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR OVER A YEAR.

MY CAR FEELS LIKE A DEATH TRAP. TO START OFF WITH ONLY ONE OF MY WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTORS WORK . WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR FROM A SINGLE INDIVIDUAL THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER APPEARED TO SHAKE A LITTLE MORE THAN THE DRIVER SIDE. AS IF IT WAS WORKING A LITTLE HARDER TO KEEP UP WITH THE OTHER WIPER.. AND THEN LESS THAN A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING VEHICLE IT STOPPED WORKING ALL TOGETHER. NOW I ONLY HAVE THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER THAT I USE. ALSO WHEN I GO TO TURN ON THE BLINKER, GO OVER A RAILROAD TRACK, MAKE A TURN IORN VEHICLE, OR SOMETIMES JUST SITTING STILL. THE WIPER WILL START WORKING WITHOUT ME HAVING TURNNED IT ON. AT FIRST IT WOULD JUST COME ON FOR 3 OR 4 SWIPES AND THEN AUTOMATICALLY STOP AGAIN. BUT NOW ITS DOING IT MORE FREQUENTLY AND SOMETIMES IT WILL NOT STOP SWIPPING WHICHIS VERY AGGRAVATING CAUSING SCRATCHES ON MY WINDSHIELD AND WEARING MY ONE WIPER DOWN FASTER THAN IT SHOULD BE. ALONG WITH THESE PROBLEMS MY CAR HAS ALSO BEEN IDLEING EXTREMLY HIGH UPON CRANKING AND WHILE CHANGING GEARS IT ACTS AS IF IT GETS STUCK BETWEEN 1RST 2CD AND 3RD. ALSO WHEN I TRY TO INCREASE SPEED FOR PASSING OR TO MAKE TURNS IT SOMETIMES JUST CAUSES IT TO BOG DOWN MORE INSTEAD OF INCREASING MY SPEED IT SOUNDS AS IF ITS GONNA BLOW UP THE ENGINE.

I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SATURN TODAY 12/29/2014 WITH THE LETTER STATING DECEMBER 2014. IN THE LETTER IT STATES THE FOLLOWING " THIS LETTER IS INTENDED TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT YOUR VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION SHIFTER MAY NOT PROPERLY TRANSMIT AN ELECTRICAL SIGNAL THAT ALLOWS THE IGNITION KEY TO BE TURNED COUNTER CLOCKWISE PAST THE ACCESSORY MODE TO THE "LOCK" POSITION AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SHIFTED INTO PARK. IF THIS OCCURS, THE IGNITION KEY CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION CYLINDER WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE MANUAL RELEASE PLUNGER LOCATED ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN AS DESCRIBED IN THE OWNERS MANUAL. A KEY LEFT IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME MAY RESULT IN SEVERE BATTERY DRAIN AND A POSSIBLE NO START CONDITION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO TURN TO THE ON POSITION AND THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT INTO PARK FROM REVERSE OR DRIVE. THE CONTACT HAD TO MAKE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO GET THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND REMOVE THE KEY. THE CONTACT HAD TO WIGGLE THE KEY BACK AND FORTH, APPLY FORCE TO THE SHIFTER AND TURN THE WHEEL BACK AND FORTH TO REMOVE THE KEY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHIFTER AND CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000.

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS (DIFFERENT DATES, MOST RECENT WERE 1-26-2014 & 2-19-2014) ENGINE REVVED AND CAR ACCELERATED BY ITSELF WITHOUT GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED. MOST SERIOUS OCCURRENCE, CAR ACCELERATED, BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT (PUSHED TO THE FLOOR), RAN RED LIGHT, WENT OFF ROAD, SLAMMED TRANSMISSION INTO PARK TO STOP. SHUT OFF CAR, THEN STARTED IT AGAIN, AND IT RAN NORMAL. TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC. NO COMPUTER CODES. NOTHING MECHANICAL WAS FOUND TO BE WRONG. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO THE INEVITABILITY OF A COLLISION WITH SOMETHING OR SOMEONE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT GEARS. IN ADDITION, ALL OF THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO PARK. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT DUE TO THE FAILURE THE KEY BECAME LODGED IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSING THE BATTERY TO DRAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BITSI CABLE FAILED AND AS A RESULT, THE SHIFTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,341. UPDATED 12/9/14*CN THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/03/15

I AM NOT SURE IF THE POWER TRAIN IS THE TRANSMISSION, BUT THIS CAR WILL DOWNSHIFT ON ITS OWN, CAUSING IT TO LOOSE SPEED INCREDIBLY FAST ALMOST TO THE POINT OF STOPPING. I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION, BUT GM NOW SAYS THERE WAS NOT. EVEN THOUGH WHEN I FIRST CALLED, THE GENTLEMAN THAT ANSWERED SAID THAT THE SYMPTOMS FIT THE RECALL STATS. WHEN I WAS ABLE TO TALK WITH THE PERSON THAT WAS HANDLING THE CLAIM, SHE SAID IT WAS PAST 8 YEARS, AND THEY COULD NOT FIX THE RECALLED PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD MORE THAN ONE GARAGE, AND TRANSMISSION COMPANY TELL ME THAT THIS TRANSMISSION IS ON A RECALL, JUST BY CHECKING THE VIN #. GM NOW REFUSES TO FIX IT AND DENIES SAYING IT WAS ON RECALL. THE AUTO DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM SAYS THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE SOLD OTHER SATURNS, SAME YEAR. I SPOKE WITH THE GIRL THERE THAT "ENTERS THE VINS INTO THE SYSTEM TO SEE IF THERE IS A RECALL ON THE CAR"...AND SHE KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THIS CAR, ALTHOUGH IT HAS 4 OTHER RECALLS LISTED FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL. OTHER IMPORTANT FACTS, I FIRST CALLED A LOCAL SATURN DEALER, AND THEY BLEW ME OFF SAYING IT WAS JUST "STUCK" (THE TRANSMISSION) I KEPT DRIVING IT THINKING I WAS WRONG IT WAS STUCK LIKE THEY SAID, WHATEVER THAT MEANT. IT GOT WORSE, I ENDED UP CALLING GM AS REFERRED TO BY MANY GARAGES AND AUTO PARTS STORES, AND THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL ON TRANNY, THEN FLIPPED IT AROUND . WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR WHETHER IT IS ON THE HIGHWAY OR A STREET, IT WILL SUDDENLY ALMOST STOP WITHOUT HITTING THE BREAKS, AS IT WILL DOWNSHIFT ON ITS OWN. THIS ALMOST CAUSED MORE THAN ONE ACCIDENT. THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN, I WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR. *TR

2003 SATURN ION. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND SEEKS VEHICLE REIMBURSEMENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE BACKED THE VEHICLE OUT OF THE GARAGE, AND PUT THE GEAR IN DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO FORWARD. THE CONSUMER BACKED THE VEHICLE BACK IN TO THE GARAGE. THE NEXT DAY HE TRIED IT, AND THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND A PROBLEM. FROM SEPTEMBER 2012, UNTIL JANUARY 2013, THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE GOING FORWARD. EACH TIME, IT WOULD WORK AGAIN AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE SIT FOR AWHILE. THEN ON FEBRUARY 23, 2013, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO REVERSE. AFTER LETTING THE VEHICLE SIT FOR ABOUT FOUR HOURS, THE SHIFTING WORKED. AFTER DRIVING THREE BLOCKS, THE VEHICLE STOPPED AND THE SHIFTING WENT OUT AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE REPAIR SHOP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND THE PARTS ALONE WOULD COST $3,982.58.

MY SATURN ION HAS DEVELOPED A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM AND I CALLED GM AND RECEIVED A SPECIAL REQUEST NUMBER AND 48 HOURS LATER WAS CONTACTED AND AFTER ANSWERING A FEW QUESTIONS I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR DID NOT QUALIFY FOR ANYTHING. THE REASON THEY GAVE WAS BECAUSE THE CAR HAS A SALVAGE TITLE. I HAD THE CAR INSPECTED BY THE STATE OF MN AND NOW HAVE A PRIOR SALVAGE TITLE. THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS COSMETIC AND HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE POOR TRANSMISSION THAT GM SOLD TO THE PUBLIC. SINCE THEN I HAVE HEARD NOTHING BUT BAD NEWS STORIES ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION--SOMEONE NEEDS TO BE ACCOUNTABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY STARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE DEALER INFORMED HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE STARTER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. SHE ALSO STATED THAT THE KEY WAS GETTING STUCK INSIDE OF THE IGNITION WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF OR REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE CYLINDER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED FOR THAT FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT SHE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. INSTEAD OF REPLACING THE IGNITION SWITCH DUE TO COST THEY OPTED TO REPROGRAM THE KEY SO THAT SHE COULD REMOVE IT NO MATTER WHAT GEAR THE VEHICLE WAS IN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 2/23/11 *CN ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE INVOICE, THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW SHIFTER WHICH WAS CAUSING THE KEY TO BECOME STUCK IN THE IGNITION. UPDATED 06/20/11

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 SATURN ION. WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO A HIGHWAY AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ABNORMALLY DECELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST INDICATED THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THEY WOULD GET BACK WITH THE CONTACT TO DETERMINE IF ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 74,085.

TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THERE WAS A SAFETY ALERT LETTER ISSUED NOVEMBER OF 2009 FOR 2003 SATURN ION OWNERS WITH STIPULATIONS CLAIMING THAT THE CAR HAD TO BE IN SERVICE FOR 5 YEARS OR LESS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE PART REPAIRED AT NO COST. NO ONE FALLS UNDER THIS CRITERIA CONSIDERING THAT THIS ALERT WAS SENT OUT IN NOVEMBER OF 2009, REFER TO SAFETY ALERT #09280. MY CAR HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT AND A TRANSMISSION IS NOT AN EXPENSE THAT A SATURN CUSTOMER SHOULD HAVE TO BE PAYING IN MY OPINION. THEY DO OFFER A 50% OFF DEAL WHERE THEY TAKE CARE OF HALF THE COST. IT'S A $5000 JOB AND HALF IS $2500, STILL A VERY HIGH COST FOR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED A RECALL. I HAVE ONLY HAD THIS CAR FOR 2 YEARS AND TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ON A CAR THAT I HAVE A CAR PAYMENT ON. PLEASE ASSIST THE SATURN OWNERS IN FINDING OUT HOW THIS DID NOT BECOME A RECALL. SO MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS ISSUE AND IT SEEMS UNFAIR TO HAVE TO PAY MORE MONEY FOR A DEFECT IN THE SATURN ION AND VUE'S TRANSMISSION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP IN THIS MATTER. *TR

I WAS AT A STOP SIGN AND MY CLUTCH PEDAL DISCONNECTED FROM ITS SOCKET JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN DRIVING. *TR

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 SATURN ION2 WITH 4 CYL AND VTI TRANSMISSION WITH 71,000 MILES TO WORK AND IT FELT LIKE IT WENT INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN SLOWED TO A STOP. I WAS ALMOST REAR-ENDED AND WAS STRANDED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY. IT TURNS OUT MY VTI TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE, THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST GM FOR IT, AND IT IS FOLLOWING THE SETTLEMENT BEFORE IT HAS BEEN RULED UPON BY THE JUDGE. THEY ARE COVERING 75% OF THE REPAIR BECAUSE I AM THE SECOND OWNER. IF I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER, THEY WOULD HAVE COVERED 100%. I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS ORIGINALLY SOLD AND IT WAS A CERTIFIED USED CAR. I WAS HAVING TRANSMISSION NOISES AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR AND IN REQUESTING THE SERVICE RECORDS, I FOUND OUT THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND WORK WAS DONE FOR THEM. I BROUGHT THE CAR IN AND THEY ALSO DID A REPAIR ON MY TRANSMISSION (THIS WAS PRIOR TO IT HAVING 36,000 MILES AND WAS STILL COVERED UNDER THE FACTORY WARRANTY). I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ON THIS TRANSMISSION WHEN ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS DO A GOOGLE SEARCH FOR SATURN VTI TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND YOU WILL FIND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD PROBLEMS. THE 75% REPAIR STILL LEAVES ME PAYING $1,150 AND MY CAR IS WORTH VERY LITTLE BECAUSE ALL THE CAR COMPANIES KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAS DEVALUED THE CAR. THE WORST PART OF THIS IS THAT THEY ARE PUTTING IN THE VERY SAME DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION AND AGAIN THE GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALS THEY GO BAD AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. CAN THE NHTSA PLEASE HELP ME AND THE THOUSANDS OF OTHER SATURN OWNERS WITH THIS PROBLEM? THIS TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

FAILED TRANSMISSION. *TR

2003 SATURN ION III DISENGAGES IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC AS IF GEARS HAVE SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL AT SPEEDS FROM BETWEEN 20 AND 60 MPH, SO THAT THERE IS NO FORWARD MOVEMENT SUDDENLY AND THEN RE-ENGAGES. ALMOST REAR-ENDED SEVERAL TIMES ALSO CAR WILL NOT START IF TURNED OFF FOR A SHORT TIME AND KEY LOCKS IN IGNITION. GEARS WERE RE-CALIBRATED AND IGNITION REPLACED, BUT PROBLEMS CONTINUE. *TR